The Ark's Tortured Son
by Nicogen
Summary: Claustrophobia - The fear of having no escape, of small spaces, fear of restriction and fear of suffocation. It is typically classified as an anxiety disorder and often times results in a rather severe panic attack. To have this condition while being confined in a space station, this can make your life a living hell. For Aaron J. Hawke every second of every day is torture.
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone Nicogen here with a new story. Its been a while since I posted anything, I mainly stopped from lack of inspiration and just general writers block. But the BIG contributing factors are that I got myself a new job, one that pays twice as much as working for my dad. But to get this job I had to across state and move to a town just a little north of Wichita. So now I'm officially out of my mother's thumb and living with my best friend since third grade. Now I work from 4 P.M. to 4 A.M. I haven't seen the sun in a couple months now. Oh well the money is worth it and I've lost a whole bunch of weight. Like I had to punch a new hole on my belt because all the pants I have don't fit me anymore.

Anyways one day while on lunch I started rewatching the 100, and of course you guys know what happens if you're aware of fanfiction, you go read. Well I started reading mainly the Oc stories and got to thinking what would happen if someone on the Ark was claustrophobic. What would the council do with someone like that especially after their condition caused them to violently lash out at someone. It's not their fault they're like, so it would be morally wrong to float them. But they can't let them back into the population someone could get killed. So, you make use of them. Thus, the foundation of this story.

Also, I should note unless it's a crossover I don't do detailed descriptions of people or places unless they didn't exist in the show or manga/comic book. You know what Bellamy and Clarke look like I won't make a word wall to tell you what they look like. That's just a lazy ploy to make your story look bigger and more appealing to readers.

Okay enough of my Author's note onto the story.

* * *

Chapter 1 – Project Vanguard.

"111, 112, 113," counted off a young man on the cusp of 18 years as he did push-ups on his knuckles. His bloody and cracked knuckles. Aaron Hawke didn't care, pain this minuscule was just a mild annoyance. His hands didn't hurt as much as the injury that resulted in the metal plate in his skull. The injury gave him periodic numbness in his body, severe headaches once a month, he vaguely remembers going blind in his right eye once for five days but to be fair that was right after the surgery. And a severely weakened sense of empathy.

He wasn't emotionally dead, he felt things he felt anger, happiness, sadness, and love. It was just harder for him to connect. But the worst pain made him wish he couldn't feel. Whenever he thought of his loving mother who slit her own throat when the two of them got stuck in a malfunctioning airlock between stations that was leaking air.

The engineers had said it would take eight hours to get them out, but there was only enough oxygen to last two people five, ten for one. When his mother learned this, she didn't hesitate. Aaron's last memory of her was saying she loved him and to keep on living all the while her blood drifted thru the air towards the leak and splattered across his face. He was twelve years old.

He became claustrophobic after that, and on an unescapable station in space, everyday became a living nightmare. He suffered from panic attacks almost weekly, and it all came to a head when he was thirteen and he became violent and got into a fight with the guards beating one into a coma with a wrench and biting two of another's fingers off. Such a violent crime couldn't be ignored, everyone from Farm station to Factory knew what he did. And they all heard how his groveled at the former Chancellor's feet that he be immediately floated instead of being confined in a small cell for five years.

When she rejected his plea, she made a mistake and made it a public trial. An election was coming up and him being the surviving child of the woman who heroically sacrificed herself she decided to use him as a political play. She pardoned him, and said that "This sweet and kind broken child is a victim who needs the Ark's help, her people's understanding and love".

As the cuffs came off and the tears fell from his eyes the assembled crowd thought they were tears of a traumatized boy on his way to recovery. But as he gripped the podium with both white knuckled hands and started bashing his forehead into the metal they realized he was a young tortured soul who just wanted his suffering to end.

The Chancellor ordered his surgery that reinforced his skull with the titanium alloy plate now lodged in his head and the exceeding the restrictions limits as she still wanted to use him to help keep her position as Chancellor. But it backfired on her when he became known as 'The Ark's Tortured Son' when after he recovered from his surgery he cried to Dr. Abigail Griffin. "Why didn't you let me die?!"

The pervious Chancellor Diana Sydney had already become unpopular prior to 'The Tortured Son's cry' and was pretty much out of office to begin with but it damn sure was the final nail in the coffin.

And with the new administration headed by Thelonious Jaha brought forth a beacon of hope not just for Aaron but for all of humanity.

* * *

92 P. W. (Post War)

"Chancellor" greeted Councilor Marcus Kane head of security on the Ark as Jaha walked into the Council chambers for the first time as Chancellor.

"Councilor Kane" greeted Jaha in a professional manner shaking his friend's hand but the hint of a smirk twitch at the corners of lips. He looks around the room greeting every one of the Councilor both close ally and pollical opponent alike, the necessary placements to keep him in check.

"Now that formalities are done let's get to work." Jaha said as the next few hours the council members present various issues that needed to be addressed the saying yes or no to the items on the agenda.

"Now if that is all Councilors I believe we shall call it a day." Jaha said going to stand.

"There is one last issue that needs to be addressed Chancellor." Spoke Dr. Griffin with a pad in her hand which she then slid across the table towards him.

On the screen of the pad was a live video of a boy of thirteen retrained to a hospital bed. His head was wrapped in bandages, a rubber guard secured in his mouth and a tube forced into his nose.

"Ah Mister Aaron James Hawke." Jaha said looking at the young caucasian male. His face was heavily bruised so he brought up his latest registration picture. Thelonious flinched at the six-month-old picture of the brunette with lifeless green eyes, the severe signs of depression evident even before his attempted suicide. Tortured son indeed, although he wasn't Chancellor, Jaha couldn't help but feel that he failed this boy who was no older than his own son Wells. They all had.

"What is Mr. Hawke's condition Dr. Griffin" He asked.

"Well hours of intense surgery, removing the bone fragments and stopping him from bleeding, we were able to successfully implant the titanium plate into his skull, but there was a decent amount of damage done to his frontal lobe, specifically areas tied to emotion." Abby said showing Aaron's medical report. "We won't know for sure until the swelling is completely gone but, he has had five episodes of extreme duress in the last few months. I would like to note that before he suffered three times as many episodes in the same time frame before his 'attempt'," The doctor said showing a time frame of incident reports.

"So, he fixed himself by trying to kill himself?" a Councilor asked arching an eye brow.

"I would like to hope so but I don't want to jump to conclusions until Aaron has fully recovered." Abby said getting nods.

"That's if he is allowed to recover." Kane stated.

"What do you mean by that?" Abby asked narrowing her eyes.

"I mean we need to decide whether or not to execute him." Kane said coldly.

"He's thirteen!" Abby yelled.

"Who has sense to know that he's a danger to others!" Kane growled.

"He's a child." Snapped Abby

"You think I don't know that. You don't think that I hate myself for even saying this!" the Head of Security shouted.

"Then why?" pleaded Abby.

"Mercy." Kane said tossing Abby the data pad and what she heard from a now awake Aaron brought tears to her eyes.

"Please," Moaned Aaron through the protector in his mouth preventing from biting his own tongue off "Don't put me in the cell, just kill me," he whimpered. "Please!" he pleaded.

"Chancellor he's too violent to kept in a standard cell he'll have to be put solitary." Kane stated "And that would be," he trailed off.

"Torture." Jaha sighed.

"What would the Ark say." Abby tried to reason.

"The Ark calls for mercy, Sydney's orders to keep him alive sway all but the most hardcore of hold outs to vote against her." Kane said. "But the former Chancellor's words that he needs our love and understanding weren't wrong."

"So, the best way to help him is to kill him? You think they'll understand that!" Abby cried.

"The four hundred signatures on the petition that arrived on my desk this morning says yes." Said Kane putting another data with the petition on the table, he might as well as dropped a nuke.

Abby looked to her friend as he looked at both data pads a pained cold look on his face, she hadn't seen that look since the day his wife passed.

"Please Thelonious, he's just a child, the same age as Clarke, as Wells! When our descendants finally walk on Earth and they tell the story of the Tortured Son what do you want them to say we did." Abby tried to reason.

"That we showed Mercy." Kane said gripping her shoulder gently.

"What about giving him Salvation." The doctor said pulling her shoulder away from him.

"Mercy can be Salvation." The Head guard said firmly.

"It's murder."

"Not when living brings so much pain."

"But living can bring joy."

"Earth," Jaha spoke stopping the back and forth between his two friends. He stood up and walked over to the observation window overlooking the planet "We send him to Earth."

"But that would-"

"Give him a chance" said Jaha interrupting Abby.

"But Earth is still uninhabitable." Kane said.

"Based on what data?" Abby said with newfound hope. "A lot could happen in one hundred years."

"And a lot could not, executing him on the Ark would be a quick death, if you're wrong it would be slow, agonizing." Kane said with a small hint of desperation.

Abby paused as she was cut off guard by Kane's words and finding a new-found respect and understanding. "Yes, but he would have more of a chance than out an air lock".

"And the data gathered would be invaluable." Jaha said.

"It's worth the risk." Abby said firmly.

"So, we send an unskilled child of thirteen down to the planet alone?" said another council member.

"We don't send him down now we wait till he's eighteen that gives us roughly five years to train him in advance levels of Earth skills, weapon and combat training, history, depending on the location we pick." Jaha said bringing up information on possible sites.

"Five years in lock up will be torture to him, what's to stop from killing himself like last time?" Kane asked.

"This time we give him hope." Abby said.

"Then as my first act as Chancellor I put forward my approval for this project, all those opposed" he Jaha said looking for disapproval and nodded when he saw no hands in the air. "All those for." He said and all hands rose in the air. "Then I Thelonious Jaha Chancellor of the Ark put in action to send in five years' time one Aaron J. Hawke to Earth, I dubbed this plan, Project Vanguard may it be a success and if it fails let it be recorded as a guide for those who come after."

….

* * *

97 P.W.

Project Vanguard was Aaron's salvation, it gave a sense of hope he didn't have before when decided to bash his head on the podium five years ago. A sense of pride had swell in him that even if he died, he would help countless generations to come. Knowing you have a purpose can change your outlook on life.

Sure, he still got panic attacks from time to time but he wasn't suicidal anymore, the 'Official' story for his confinement was he was getting therapy to help him, and funnily enough it wasn't even a lie anymore. Just don't try to shove him into a broom closet and you'll be fine.

"Prisoner 214 stand up and face the wall, said a guard as he entered the room flanked by another guard.

"189 Hold on for a minute, 190 almost done" Aaron said as he continued his push-ups.

"Now Prisoner 214!" barked the other guard.

Aaron paused mid push up and looked back at the guards and rolled his eyes. They were young. "191, Password?" he said.

"Pas-?! Get your ass up!" shouted the first young guard.

"Of course, you don't know the damn password, 192 Nah I'm good 193, 194." Yay this shit again.

"Fine we do this the hard way." The guard said taking out his shock stick.

"195 You sure, 196, you want, 197, to do, 198, that?" Aaron asked.

ZAAAT!

"Yeah I do" grin the guard shocking Aaron lightly

"Ok, 199 Fine" Aaron said while on the ground, "But first do you guys know what day it is?"

"Tuesday?" answered the other guard.

"What's it mean to you prisoner?" asked the first.

"Nothing much" Aaron said placing his knuckles back in the push up position making a guard growl "just another damn Hazing day, 200!" he shouted launching himself up and at the now wide-eyed guard punching his gut so hard the young man was lifted off the by a foot surprising the guard that he didn't know he was being tackled till he hit the railing outside.

"GALGH!" vomited the guard still in Aaron's prison cell.

"Fucking Hazing day, guards always throw you cadets a nice little celebration and they make the two who gorge themselves come to my cell. You're cleaning that shit up by the way." Aaron grumbled grabbing the cadet by the neck of his shirt and throwing him into the cell make his partner face plant into his puke pile. "Yuck it up while you can Miller I turn eighteen in a few days, this will be the last time." He said walking to a chuckling veteran guard.

"Damn, and here I was hoping you beat last year's record." Miller said handing him a mask which Aaron held to his face while Miller secured it. While they didn't happen as often he still suffer from some episodes from time to time and god forbid he bit one of the guards he liked, like Miller.

"Now the jacket." Miller said holding a gray strait jacket it used to be white but years of rewashing has stained it into the gray today.

"This was washed right?" Aaron asked and took a whiff "Nope"

"You're the only one who wears it what's the matter?" Miller rolled his eyes as Aaron put his arms in the sleeves.

"I suffered an episode last month and I stewed in my own sweat for five hours while Dr. Griffin tried to calm me down. Once it gets wet again it will turn ripe. I don't care but Dr. Griffin will and I have to hear about it even though it won't be my damn fault." Grumbled Aaron as Miller tighten the straps on his arms.

"You're understanding of women is astounding even though you've never had a girlfriend." Miller chuckled.

"Dr. Griffin is the only woman I know, we both know I'm screwed when I get stuck in the pod with Floor girl, I'll end up doing something wrong and she'll kick me in the nuts first chance she gets." Aaron stated.

"Word of advice don't call her that." Miller said seriously.

"Case and point." Aaron sighed. "I envy your son as he'll never have to deal with this type of crap." He grumbled getting a chuckle from Miller as he talked about his gay son. The man pats the teen on the shoulder, "You're a good kid Aaron it'll be sad to see you go."

* * *

In the Med Bay Aaron grunted as Dr. Griffin ran a sonogram over his forehead since he could never get a cat scan. "Looks like everything in order."

"Good can you get this crap off my head, its cold." Aaron said trying and failing to wipe the goo on his jacket.

"What do we say?" Abby asked in a snipping tone.

"Now?" the teen said with a cocked eyebrow making the woman's own eyebrow cock up in return.

"Really?" the woman said staring him down. The staring match continued from about a minute before Aaron grumbled and dipped his head in defeat "Please Dr. Griffin."

"While sure Aaron I would love to." Abby said wiping the glee off.

"How boring is your life?" Aaron said sarcastically earning him a smack to the head. "Okay I deserved that."

"Yes, you did" Abby said undoing the straps on his arms and rolling up his sleeve on his right arm and from the side she pulled out a long cylinder-shaped object that then split in half.

"That's a lot of needles" Aaron gulped seeing all the needles on the inside of the cylinder.

"I'm sorry, Aaron but in order to get accurate readings on how radiation affects you there has to be this many otherwise what's the point." Abby said.

"Okay I get that, but how come Floor Girl's is smaller than mine?" Aaron asked.

"I'm going to kill Jackson" Grumbled Abby. "We had to rush ' _ **Octavia**_ 's taking out the radiation reader and streamlined it for vitals. And floor girl? She's going to be the only friend, you're going to have down there and calling her such a demeaning name is not going to do you any favors especially if you want be more than two people stuck on the ground."

"I swear on the ground if you call us anything related to Adam and Eve, surrogate mother or not I will smack you." Aaron glared.

CLICK!

"Fine but just so you know she is pretty" smirked Abby before looking down and frowning she was expecting him to yelp in pain "You didn't fell that did you?" she asked taking his hand and poking his finger with a needle.

"My life wasn't in danger so the need of pain is not needed." Aaron said his voice going cold. "So is my bracer up and running. Can we start the mission soon?"

Abby felt a chill go up her spine, Aaron was in what many like to call Kane mode. All the joke cracking with Miller and the teenage attitude with Abby it all was an act to get the information he needs for the 'Mission'. Well it wasn't all an act she knew for a for a fact that Aaron liked Miller he wouldn't even bother talking with him if he didn't. And he did think of Abby as a mother, she had seen him at his weakest.

But now Aaron had shifted his mood because he had a calculated action he felt ready to take. "Streamline would imply you cut away the junk and improved the design, instead you made it cheaper to make by reducing the capabilities of the device. You're mass producing them. Why?" he asked.

Abby sighed and looked the boy in the eye "There's been a change of plans."

* * *

Two weeks later Aaron glare heavily at anyone who meet his eyes, cowing even those in the Skybox for murder as he was walked by the other convicts as they were ushered out of their cells. Aaron grunted in annoyance as every now and then they had to stop and his head jerk back as the guard had, what he could best describe as a makeshift animal control catch pole, going around his neck. He understood why they had to do it as they couldn't afford for him to freak out, not today, definitely not today.

"GARck!" he choked as suddenly a blonde girl burst out of a cell and smacked into his chest. The top of her head hit his mask making the coil of the catch pole hit his Adam's apple. " _Okay that hurt_ " he thought as leaned over and felt like he was coughing his lungs out.

The girl looked up, gasped and take a step back as she saw him. He couldn't blame her on that one, seeing a guy who was easily a head taller than you restrained in garb commonly associated with crazies and serial killers. Then there were the scars that marred his head, one was the surgical scar that started on his right temple and wrapped around his eye. From there the surgical line went across his forehead where it intersects with crisscross marks made by the podium during his attempted suicide. Then its arch ups to his hair line and goes across his left side of his head and then stop at the back of his head. He hadn't had a hair cut in a while so his right was fairly long but below the scar on his left no hair wanted to grow. But what really got her was the intensity of his vibrant green eyes.

"The Tortured Son." she gasped back up even further and taking a look around her and saw all the teens being ushered out their cells. "They're starting," she said to herself, she looked at him and examine him.

Aaron arched an eyebrow at her. _"Huh, she's thinking of using me as distraction. Weighing the pros and cons, bad new the game was rigged from the beginning."_ He thought.

Acting quickly the girl grab the coil around his neck ripped it off and grabbed the pole and drove it in the guard's gut and then swung it into the other guard's head knocking him out. Aaron's other eyebrow join its brother, okay he was impressed. She turned around quick and undid his arm restraints. "We need to run and get out of here," She said pulling on his sleeve.

The girl was employing the world's oldest escape tactic, grab the toughest guy around and set him lose.

"Why?" he asked.

"They're going to kill us, everyone!" the girl said waving the pole around and pointing at some of the kids.

"For real?" Aaron said feigning ignorance.

"Look I know we don't know each other put you have to trust me." The girl pleaded. "It's not just yours and my life at stake, its everyone in the Skybox, everyone on the Ark!" she said as more guards headed their way. "Are you with me?" she asked.

Aaron looked at girl curious as he actually was considering doing what she said, the only other person able to get him do anything was –

"Clarke stop!" called a woman's voice.

Clarke turn around Aaron spotted Dr. Griffin running towards the girl.

"Mom?! Mom what's going on?" Clarke said surprised to see her mother.

" _Ah, that makes sense."_ Aaron said to himself as Abby pulled her daughter into her arms and embraced her.

"They're killing us all aren't they, reducing population to make more time for the rest of you?" Clarke whimpered pulling away from her mother, sad and afraid.

Abby quickly grabbed Clarke's arms looked her in the eyes and said "Clarke, you are not being executed. You're being sent to the ground, all 100 of you."

Clarke looked back at Aaron "What? But it's not safe." She turned back to her mother and started pleading "No. No we get reviewed at 18."

Abby sighed "The rules have changed. This gives you a chance to live." She brushed a strand of her daughter's hair out her face and rubbed her cheek.

"Her instincts will tell her to take care of everyone else first, please look out for her, I can't lose her too." She said looking at Aaron.

"What?" Clarke asked spinning around looking at Aaron.

"I promise" Aaron said nodding to the older woman and then headbutting her daughter sending her to the ground. "W-w-wha?" Mumbled Clarke as her mother knelt by quickly and check to see if she had a concussion and sighed in relief to see that she'll be fine.

Aaron leaned down scooping up Clarke in his arms and met Abby's eyes "What, we're on a time limit." he said seeing her glare.

She smacked him in the back of the head "Get to the drop ship."

…

* * *

Groaned Clarke as she came to. She opened her eyes and saw that she was transported somewhere else entirely and she was sitting in some harness. She felt a pain in her wrist cause by the new-found bracelet, but it was nothing compare to the pain in her head.

"Welcome back," Said someone next to her. She looked over and saw a young man of African descent and her eyes glare at him. "Look-

"Wells, why the hell are you here?" Clarke snapped at him.

"When I found out they were sending prisoners to the ground, I got myself arrested. I came for you." Wells said with a smile before a large boom resonated throughout the dropship and a lot of people screamed.

"What was that?" Clarke asked worried.

Looking up for possible damage "That was the atmosphere."

"ARGGGGGGH! HAAAAAAA WHY AM I HERE!" screamed a voice in utter terror.

Clarke turned her head and spotted Aaron across the room. He was in a harness that was by itself. Looks like the Council had removed the other two and had reinforced his restraints. It was a good thing they did because it looked like all it took was one little push and Aaron would be sent over the edge.

"What the hell! Why is he here!?" shouted a kid.

Suddenly screens on the ship came to life and Chancellor Jaha appeared on the screen, and to everyone's relief it seems to calm Aaron down a bit, but his panting breath told them he was far from okay. He was trying to keep himself distracted by keep focus on Jaha as the man started explain that were being sent to the ground to see if Earth was survivable because they were expendable because of their previous crime.

This made a teen turn to Wells and shout that his dad was a dick. Wells ignored him knowing the kid was trying to cut the tension and keep their minds off Aaron.

The elder Jaha continued on saying that their crimes would pardon. He then told them that they needed to get to Mt Weather as there was supplies there to help them.

"Check it out!" cheered someone and Clarke turned her head and saw a boy floating in the center of the room.

"Spacewalk Bandit strikes again." Chuckled a teen wearing googles.

"Go Finn!" shouted someone.

All the teens cheered as 'Finn' kicked the wall and gradually levitated over to Clarke and Wells "Check it out your dad floated me, after all." Smirked Finn.

"You should strap in before the parachutes deploy." Wells warned.

Clarke saw movement to the side and saw two other boys fiddling with their harnesses "Hey, you two, stay put if you want to live." They ignored her and kept trying to get out.

"Hey," said Finn getting Clarke's attention "You're the traitor who's been in solitary for a year."

Clarke scowled at the boy, she like be called a traitor. If anything, she was the exact opposite. "And you're the idiot who wasted a month of oxygen on an illegal spacewalk."

The boy smirked "But it was fun. I'm Finn"

Before she could respond the two boys managed to undo their belts and were floating. They only got a couple of chuckles out and suddenly the whole ship lurched. Finn went flying and slammed into Clarke and Wells before hitting the floor. He was lucky. The other two boys were not and they went flying across the room and slammed against the conduct in the middle of the room, hard.

Everyone was screaming as the ship start to spark and tumble. But none of the screams were louder than Aaron's, they were a combination of choking sobs and animalistic roars. And it was utterly terrifying.

"Retrorockets ought to have fired by now." Said Wells worried as sparks flew around them.

"Ok," Clarke said trying to calm herself down. "Everything on this ship is 100 years old, right? Just give it a second."

Wells looked over at Aaron who was trashing in his restraints violently. "We might not have that long. Clarke, there's something I have to tell you." He said wanting no regrets "I'm sorry I got your Father arrested."

Clarke wasn't having it and snapped at him "Don't you talk about my father."

"Please, I can't die knowing that you hate me." Wells said desperately.

"They didn't arrest my father, Wells. They executed him. I do hate you." Clarke yelled with tears on her eyes not caring about the look of devastation on Wells face.

And with that the retrorockets fired and with one last thump the ship slowed down and landed on the ground and powered down.

"Listen." Said a boy of Asian descent. "No machine hum."

Realizing this the boy with googles looked around in awe "Whoa. That's a first."

Then with a serenade of clicks all the buckles on the harnesses released. All but one.

Eager to get moving the teens quickly removed their belts and started moving. Clarke's first action was to check on one of the kids who hit the wall, and found he was dead. She looked over at the other kid and saw Finn doing the same. "Finn, is he breathing?" she asked but Finn just looked at her and shook his head.

"Oh man, he's passed out." Said the kid with googles looking at Aaron, whose head hung limply. "Huh, I think his belts are still locked." He said moving closer and reaching forward. "Why?-

Clarke seeing this, eyes widen in horror, "Don't-

Suddenly Aaron's head snapped up causing the boy to stumble "Whoa!" he cried as he fell.

"Jasper!" cried the Asian boy in concern as he helped his friend.

"RAGHAAAA!" Roared Aaron as he trashed around.

"Okay that's why." Jasper said awkwardly making everyone chuckle.

RRRRRRRRIP!

….

* * *

Back on the Ark Abby was looking at everyone's vitals, first a mournful expression at the two red squares. Then her head snapped to Aaron as his vitals spiked, HARD. "Oh no." she said in horror. Then a chain reaction happens as everyone heartrates spiked. "Oh no no no no no!" she said franticly as she typed on the console desperate to reestablish contact.

Jackson seeing the worry on his boss's face asked in worry. "Dr. Griffin what's going on."

"It's Aaron, he's having an episode." Abby said making Jackson go pale.

"Oh god." He said in horror. "That's like a rabid dog being loose in a hen house."

"Yeah and me let him in." Abby said looking at her daughter's tile. _"Please be safe."_

…..

* * *

A chilling silence entered the dropship and everyone turned to the restrained teen. His right hand was free. His eyes were frantic darting everywhere. His breath was fast as he hyperventilated and Aaron in a frenzy started pulling on his belts jerking each one until he felt something give slightly on one. He jerked and the belt went tight halting in the air. He pulled hard again and the belt went tight again but further out than before as a small rip was heard.

"I NEED TO GET OUT!INEEDTOGETOUT!INEEDTOGETOUT!INEEDTOGETOUT!INEEDTOGETOUT!" he repeated over and over.

"Okay what the hell is wrong with him?!" asked Jasper.

"He has claustrophobia and he get panic attacks that send into a violent rage." Clarke said remembering what her mother told her about her most infamous patient.

"That bad huh." Said Finn.

"He beat a guard into a coma and bit off another's fingers, when he was thirteen. Now if he has one it takes a team of ten guards to him under control." Clarke said walking over to him. "Aaron," she said softly trying to get his attention but he continued to pull franticly. She thought for a moment and idea came forward. She clears her throat "Aaron look at me!" Clarke said using the same tone of voice her mother uses when she's mad.

That snapped his attention to her. He looked at her but Clarke knew he wasn't really looking 'at' her, he was somewhere else, he was back in the broken air lock trapped alone with his mother's body.

As he made his way to the ladder Jasper turn and was amazed by the sight "Monty check it out." He said to the Asian kid.

"How did you do that?" Monty asked.

Not looking away from Aaron's gaze Clarke answers him "My mother is his doctor; has been for five years I just used the tone she would use. Looks like it worked" she said smiling at the boy. "Isn't that right Aaron."

"I need to get out." Aaron whimpered pitifully. "Please let me out Dr. Griffin."

"I know, I know, you just need to breath." Clarke said trying to calm him down. "Just close your eyes and count to ten, can you do that for me Aaron?"

"I-I'm scared" Aaron cried as tears started to spill from his eyes.

Clarke felt her heart break at that. "Shhhh, just close your eyes and count to ten and everything will be better." Clarke said reassuringly. "Would it be better if I count with you?"

Aaron nodded and his breathing became slower and he closed his eyes.

Clarke smiled "Good, one"

"One,"

"Yes, two,"

"Two," Counted Aaron as his breath slowed.

"Three," Clarke counted

"Three" Aaron relaxed his arms.

"Four, you're doing great," Clarke said with a smile.

"Four," Aaron let go of the belts.

"Hey the outer door is on the lower level!" Shouted a kid. "Let's go!" shouted another.

"Shit," hissed Clarke.

Aaron's eyes snapped open and his other arm lurched and broke free. "I can get out?! I need to get out!"

"Clarke." Wells said worried.

The girl's head snapped to him "Run."

"I NEED TO GET OUT!" Roared Aaron as he pulled on the weakened belt and ripped it off.

"GO!" yelled Wells making everyone remaining dart towards the ladder and down to the lower.

"Hey, just back it up, guys." Said a man in a guard uniform a little confused by everyone's worried gazes.

"Back up!?" shouted a boy.

"Do you even know what's up there?!" screamed a girl.

"RAAAA!" screamed Aaron's voice as the sound of another belt snapping made everyone shift uncomfortably.

"Yeah and your panic not helping." Growl the man and a girl in the back blinked owlishly. She knew him.

"Bellamy?" asked the girl not believing what she was seeing.

'Bellamy' turn and smiled as the girl made her way towards him. "That's the girl they hid underneath the floor Octavia Blake" whispered someone but in the crowded room his voice carried.

"My god, look how big you are." Bellamy smiled as his sister wrapped her arms around him.

Octavia looked her brother over "What the hell are you wearing? A Guard's uniform?"

Bellamy shifted uneasily "I borrowed it to get on the drop ship." He smirked "Someone has got to keep an eye on you." He chuckled as they embraced again.

"I'm glad to see you guys reunited, but now isn't the time." Clarke said interrupting their reunion.

"Do you mind?" Octavia said turning to Clarke clearly annoyed. "I haven't seen my brother in over a year."

"Yeah and I don't care," Snapped Clarke making Octavia blink. "Right now, that door needs to open or a lot of people are going to get hurt. Up there is Aaron Hawke, the Ark's Tortured Son and he is having a full-blown meltdown. If we don't get out of here right now he going to break free and lash out and accidently hurt someone, maybe kill them." Normally she be against opening the door because of the possibility of the air outside being toxic, but Aaron was literally being a living embodiment of the chaos factor so she had to change gears. Better to take a risk on the outside then deal with what's in here.

"He's on his last two!" Called Wells who was still hanging on the ladder. "If we're going to open that door we got to do it now!"

"What's stopping him from attacking one of us when we open the door?" Bellamy asked his head looking from Octavia to Clarke, his hand shifting to his back his finger brushing an object.

"He's not psychotic, he's sick, he has claustrophobia to be exact, you know fear of confined spaces." Answered Clarke.

"I-I can relate to that." Octavia said with strong sympathy as her brother grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"So, if were outside with the sky above us," Clarke said letting the sentence hang in the air.

"He shouldn't be a threat to anybody." Finn answered getting a thankful look from Clarke.

"Okay, but if he hurts anyone it's on you" Bellamy said pulling the override handle releasing a rush of air into the ship as the door opened and all everyone saw was green. "Octavia you go first, let everyone remember you as the first person on the ground in over one hundred years." Bellamy said getting a huge smile from his sister.

Octavia took a step and her feet squished the grass, real grass into the ground. She took a deep breath and screamed "We're back, bitches!" enticing the other teens to cheer.

CRECK! CRACK!

"HE'S LOOSE!" shouted Wells jumping off the ladder, cutting the celebration short.

"Everyone out now!" shouted Clarke.

With frantic steps the teen bolted from the dropship and into the forest ducking behind trees and bushes.

A series of loud bangs and crashes were heard as Aaron made his way out of the dropship. He rushed out down the ramp, in his hand was the broken conduit being held as a make shift weapon. His acquisition must have been the cause of the trashing.

"Octavia get behind me now." Bellamy ordered pushing his sister behind him and reaching behind his back, revealing the pistol to his sister.

"Bellamy?" Octavia said concerned "Are you going to?"

"Only if he makes me." Her brother said clicking the safety off. He didn't want to kill the guy, he was already feeling guilt, but if this guy endangered Octavia. He would put him down.

"Aaron," Called Clarke using her mother's tone, and stepping into the clearing making Aaron turn toward her. "Hey easy now, just take a breath."

Aaron nowhere in a right state of mind swung the pole and Clarke jumped back to avoid getting hit.

"Clarke!" Wells shouted in worry.

"Back off Wells I got this." Clarke snapped, "Aaron calm down, everything is okay, you're safe." She said taking slow steps toward him.

"I-I need to get out." Aaron managed.

"You are out, just take a look around." Clarke smiled.

"I'm out? But-" Aaron looked around and saw all the green and everyone saw his stance change significantly. "The dropship," he turned around and he drop the pole. "We made it, were on Earth."

"Yes, we made it." Clarke said walking forward. "No more walls, no more ceilings, just the sky and the ground."

"YES! ITS OVER!" Aaron cheered, "It's over, I'm free, Hahahaha!" he laughed. He then fell to his knees "The nightmare is over." He said with tears falling from his eyes, all those years of torture weren't in vain. Suddenly he felt arms wrap around him and his head snapped and saw a head of gold hanging over his shoulder.

"Yes, and now we can live the dream." Clarke said holding him close and started humming a tune, the song was one familiar to her heart and she had an inkling it was close to Aaron's too.

Aaron couldn't hold it anymore and started balling.

….

* * *

Well what do you guys think of Aaron, a little too Gary-sue? Probably but what the point of making an oc and having him sit in the background sitting on a log with a thumb up their ass. I'll try to not make him too Op but no absolutes and expect derailment.

Please fav and review. Reviews help!

Until next time.

Nicogen


	2. Chapter 2

Hello Nicogen here with the second chapter of the Ark's Tortured Son.

Well I can say that at least I got no flames so that's something.

Meh it's okay as I know its like an unspoken rule that a story doesn't really get picked up until it hits lit 20,000 words. And with the fact that I wrote this with in a few days it should be okay. I was going to make it longer but I figure there's nothing wrong with a few short ones.

Anyways onto the story!

* * *

Chapter 2 – Day One.

After what seemed like hours, Aaron's sobs had quieted down. The built-up years of pain and sorrow finally being let out. Aaron honestly hadn't felt better in years. That crying release, was needed. The urges to lash out, to break out were barely whispers in the back of his mind. But they were still there, he knew even twenty years from now they still be there too much damage had been done. But they would no longer have the control they once had.

He looked up and locked eyes with Clarke, the girl who he had only know for a few. The girl who helped him release his pain. He sighed and rested his head on her shoulder "Thank you." He then helped her stand up "and sorry." He said pulling away and bowing his head.

"Hey its wasn't your fault," the girl reinsured.

"Doesn't change the fact that I scared them." Aaron sighed turning and taking a step hitting his foot on the conduit. He narrowed his at the pole and saw blood at one of the ends. "Did I hurt someone?" he asked as he picked up the pipe.

"No two kids who were not in their sits were sent flying during the crash and they went thru the conduit. They died upon impact." Clarke answered.

"Oh," Aaron said looking around. "We'll have to find a place to bury them. Or maybe burn them," he said in different. "Hmm no burying them would be better that way their relatives can visit the graves. That's if they have any." He said shrugging "Whatever is done has to be decided in two to three days otherwise, well you'll find out." Aaron said walking away toward the side of the drop ship tearing out a decent amount of thin cable and some parts off the ground. He looked around and squinted. "Hey anyone see a decent sized rock out here!?" he shouted.

"Umm, over here." A young girl said pointing behind her.

"Thanks," Aaron walking the direction she pointed.

"Hey where are you going?" Clarke asked grabbing his arm.

"To sharpen an end of this pole and make it a spear." The scarred boy said simply.

"Why?" Wells asked concerned.

"If we're all going to survive we need tools, and life won't provide them to us," Aaron held up the pole. "So, you have to make them." With that said he continued walking and a lot of the teens started moving back toward the ship and gathering up pieces of the fallen drop ship or fallen limbs of trees around them. One young man grabs a U shape piece of metal and smirked as it gave his hand a guard. He gave a few practice jabs in the air and smiled nodding before grabbing a rock and started sharping it.

"We need more than tools." Clarke said going back into the ship.

"I'll see if I can contact the Ark." Wells said.

"You do that," Clarke said rummaging thru the ship until she found what she was looking for and set to work.

….

* * *

An hour later Clarke feeling on Wells' ankle to see if any significant damage had been done after he got in a fight with some guy name John Murphy. From what she could tell that as long as he didn't go jumping off the dropship like Finn did earlier to stop said fight he be fine in a couple hours. But not soon enough to help her get to Mount Weather and back with supplies.

"So, Mount Weather." Finn said walking up behind her. "When do we leave?"

"Right now." Clarke said with evident relief. Bellamy had practically turned the whole camp against her and Wells. Aaron was, somewhere, he disappeared a few minutes after he found that rock earlier. Clarke felt that he put some distance between the others and him out of shame because of his freak out. Finn it seemed was at least on her side. But she figured that was him just trying to get in her pants. It annoyed her, but she'll take what she can get right now and Finn didn't seem like a scum bag to her.

She put that off her mind and turned to Wells "We'll be back tomorrow with food." Sure, she hated his guts right now, but there was a time and place for hate.

Wells looked from her to Finn "How are the two of you gonna carry enough food for 100?" He asked with worry.

Finn slyly turn around and pull Jasper and Monty over to them. "Four of us. Can we go now?" Finn asked voluntelling the two boys to join them. Clarke nodded the two looked docile enough.

"Sounds like a party." Octavia said almost skipping over "Make it five." The girl had been impressed by Finn's earlier actions and was eager to get to know him more.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" Bellamy said following after her.

"Going for a walk" his sister said sarcastically.

Clarke ignored the two and turned to leave but saw something strange with Finn's bracelet. "Were you trying to take this off?"

Not seeing the big deal Finn replied "Yeah. So?"

"So, this wristband transmits your vital signs to the Ark," Clarke answered "Take it off, and they'll think you're dead."

Still not getting the point Finn said "Should I care?"

Clarke scoffs "Well, I don't know. Do you want the people you love to think you're dead? Do you want them to follow you down here in two months?" she was looking him in the eye at this point. "Because they won't if they think we're dying."

Finn feeling guilty looked down at his wristband and frown.

Seeing the point finally get across Clarke lightly nods "Ok. Now let's go." She turns and sees Aaron walk back into camp.

"Maybe we get six." Finn said seeing the look on Clarke's face.

"Maybe," She says walking over to the boy. She saw he was good on his word and had sharpened the conduit into a spear with pieces of scrap screw on that butterflied out. She also saw that he had somehow punched four holes on the other end and had lace the cable inside and tied it on. The bulk of the cable was wrapped around his body and at the end of the rope he had attached a make shift knife the he had wrapped the extra fabric of his straight jacket's sleeves for the handle of the knife.

"How are you going to use that?" Monty asked the engineer in him being curious.

"Well if I did it right," Aaron said with a shrug "I stab the knife part in the ground or tie it around a tree and I throw the spear into a river and catch some fish, with the knife being the safety line so I can reel it back in."

Monty nodded at that "Not a bad idea."

"We'll see." Aaron said with a shrug.

"You can probably try it out on our way to Mount Weather." Clarke said to him.

"No, I won't," Aaron blankly said.

"True the map showed no rivers or lake on the way there." Clarke agreed. "But how did you know that?" she asked confused.

Aaron blinked at her "I didn't. I meant I'm not going to Mount Weather." He said making the whole camp look at him in surprise and hints of worry.

"Please Aaron we could use your help." Clarke pleaded.

"No," Aaron said going walking away.

"Why not?!" the blonde asked not understanding.

"Mount Weather is a bunker," Aaron replied.

"So?" Jasper said.

"A bunker with confined rooms and tunnels." The scarred teen growled. "Not to mention with one hundred years of disrepair and initial damage from the bombs, the possibility of collapse if far more likely than the records entailed."

"You don't know that, it was made to survive the war." Clarke reasoned.

"True," Aaron said nodding "But what I do know, is if anything would cause me to have another episode. It would be a bunker underground."

"Oh," Clarke looked down feeling stupid. "I'm sorry Aaron I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay" Aaron sighed waving his arm making Clarke's widen as she saw his bracer. "Just be sure to keep a person outside incase of a tunnel collapse."

"O." Bellamy said to his sister.

"Yes, Bell I will be the one who stays outside." Sighed Octavia.

"Wait if someone will be outside then why not have it be you?" Finn asked Aaron.

"Because I believe the best plan is that while you guys go to the bunker, I'll go into the forest and see if I can find something fresh for us to eat." Aaron said hold up his rope spear.

"Want to see if I can get people who want go with you?" Wells asked making Bellamy laugh.

"Thanks, but I got to make it up to everyone for scaring them earlier." Aaron stated getting a nod from Wells in understanding.

"Well, I wish you luck then." Clarke said keeping her eye on the bracer.

"You too" Aaron said walking away and into the forest.

"Well seeing that you got your sights on the Psyche Ward" Octavia said seeing Clarke's eye linger on Aaron until he disappeared "I don't have to worry about you getting ideas about Finn." She laughed.

"What?" Clarke said confused before rolling her eyes "Whatever you can have him."

"Which one?" asked Octavia with a smirk. Clarke just scoffed and followed after the boys.

"So, speaking of 'Psyche Ward'" Jasper said making hand quotations "How do you know him Clarke?"

"Ok first off, don't call him that." Clarke snapped, the last thing they needed was for that nickname to stick.

"My bad," Jasper apologies "But how do you know him?"

"I don't," Clarke answered "In fact I just met him today."

"Really?" Monty said looking confused and over to Jasper who had a confused look on his face as well.

"What's with that look?" Clarke asked titling her head slightly.

"Well Jasper and I were one of the first loaded on the dropship and," Monty said looking at Jasper for help as he didn't know how to explain what he saw. But Jasper just shrugged as he didn't know what to say either.

"And?" Octavia asked getting impatient.

Monty sighed and looked at Clarke "He was the one to carry you in."

Clarke's eyes widen "What?"

"Yeah old school princess style." Jasper added making Clarke blush. "you were out like a light."

"Well he was the one to knock me unconscious" The girl said "One second I was talking to my mom about getting sent to earth and the next he knocked me out with a headbutt." She said gently touching her head and winced.

"Ow," Finn winced in sympathy. "Doesn't he have a metal plate in his head?"

"Yeah I can confirm that first hand" Clarke grunted.

"Huh I just assumed you got that bruise in the landing." Jasper said gesturing to the nasty bruise on her head.

"He has a metal plate in his head?" Octavia said in surprise.

"That's what the rumors say" Monty answered "Any idea what kind of metal?" he asked Clarke.

"Hard," the blonde said with a glare.

"How did he get it?" Octavia asked making everyone stop in their tracks.

"You're kidding right?" Monty said but to their surprise the look on the younger Blake didn't change.

"How can you not know? Everyone on the Ark knows." Jasper asked looking at her.

"You don't learn much living most of your life in one room." She snapped.

"Right, sorry." Jasper said.

"No game." Monty says behind earning a smack to the chest from Jasper and Monty hit him back.

Clarke sighed "Well six years ago Aaron and his mother were running errands and they were in an airlock between stations when it malfunctioned. The airlock was makeshift and started leaking and it went into lockdown." She frowned "I know this part because my father was one of the engineers working on fixing the problem. There wasn't enough air for two people for them to fix it in time."

She remembered the aftermath of that day well. It was one of those rare happy/sad memories but one of her most cherished. Her father came home that day and immediately wrapped her up in his arms kissed her repeatedly and said he loved her more than anything in the world and would gladly die for her. She sighed sadly "His mother killed herself with a pair of scissors. She bought him time but he had to sit for hours surrounded by her blood until they finally got him out."

"He became claustrophobic after that didn't he?" Finn asked and Clarke answered with a nod.

"What about his father?" Octavia asked.

"From what I heard he was floated years before, I think he worked for Nigel or something." Clarke answered. "so he was put under the foster system."

"And we all know that is worthless." Finn growled.

Clarke frowned making remember that Bellamy's word of her and Wells being privileged wasn't without merit. She sighed "Aaron didn't get the help he needed suffering from episodes like the one in the dropship. Then he had-"

"The Big One." Finn finished, he didn't know before what exactly had happen but everyone knew the incident's name.

"Yeah, the Big One makes what happen earlier look like a hissy fit. He beat a guard into a coma and bit the fingers off another." Clarke said holding up her hand with the pinky and ring finger pointed down.

"I heard people say he was more like an animal, like a monster from an old horror movie." Monty said.

"He was a child being torture by the very place we all call home!" Clarke shouted.

"I said I heard, doesn't mean I agree, I heard his cries," Monty said in defense "I know he's no monster."

"Sorry" Clarke apologized and Monty nodded in forgiveness, he would do the same if someone bad mouth Jasper.

"So, is the Big One where he got his scars? How he got the plate?" Octavia asked "I'm sure the guard didn't take to kindly him hurting their friends."

The four other teens shifted uncomfortable and looked at each other grimly.

"Oh, what now?" Octavia asked.

"There's three incidents that Aaron Hawke is known for," Finn said.

"The Sacrifice." Jasper said sadly.

"The Big One." Monty said.

"And the Attempt." Clarke said looking down and holding her arm.

"Attempt at what?" Octavia gulped nervously.

Clarke looked her in the eyes "Suicide."

The brunette took a step back in shock "What!?" she said in horror.

"The story goes like this, no matter what you think of Jaha, the Chancellor before him was worst." Clarke said firmly. "She made Aaron's trial public and in order to try and win votes for the election she pardon him."

"That's good right? I don't see the problem," Octavia said confused.

"Yeah and no one else did." Finn said.

"You see Aaron was sure he be put in solitary for the Big One so he was begging to just be floated." Clarke said "And before you say anything keep in mind Aaron's claustrophobia was five times worse as it is now. His fear was stronger than his will to live."

Octavia choked a little "But he-

Clarke held up her hand "A child, one who was mentally unstable, but at his core is a good person. And knew it was only a matter of time until he hurt someone again, or worse. So, he took matters into his own hands and repeatedly bashed his head in on the podium in the assembly hall." She shook her head, she hated that he felt that he **had** to do that. "Chancellor Sydney practically forced my mother to save him, using a lot of medical supplies to do so." She remembered her mother coming home that day also, that was not a good memory. She never seen her so broken again until the day her father died.

"That's why he is called the Ark's Tortured Son. Not because of the Sacrifice, not because of the Big One, or even the Attempt. It's because he was kept alive to continue his living nightmare." Clarke said continuing their journey as she turned and walked forward.

"But he said it was over, the Nightmare." Octavia said making Clarke turn her head back at her. "What's going to happen to him."

"I don't know," Clarke said looking up at the sky. "That for the first time will be up to him."

…..

* * *

Aaron slowly and quietly tied the knife end of his 'Rope Spear' around a small tree. He pulls the cable and nods his head as he saw his knot was firmly secured. He crouches slowly and grips his spear around the grip he made from the remains of the excess of his jacket. He sticks his finger in his mouth and then holds it above him feeling the direction of the wind. He slowly stands up, aims and throws the spear with all his might.

"EEAAAA!" screeches the deer as the spear hit it right behind its front left leg. The deer kicked in the air and then tried to run away but suddenly the cable went taut and the animal squealed in pain as the hooked blades attached to the spear caught on its ribs cutting more flesh on the attempted trip out.

Aaron stayed where he was his hands hovering near the cable ready to catch it if his knot came loose. He spent a good three hours tracking the buck's frantic trail of retreat when it had been spooked by the arrival of the dropship. And he didn't feel like chasing after it and dragging its corpse further than he had to back to the camp.

The deer thrashed around trying to break free but it was only tiring itself out and causing more damage. Aaron cursed at himself for his throw as he was hoping to hit its heart, and kill it instantly. But it seems he had hit an artery or at the very least a vein, proof being the blood flowing down the hollow tube of the spear. The amount indicated that he might have hit an artery. Then as the deer let out the last of its panting wheeze, and then stumbling to the ground laying on its unpierced side, he knew he had.

With caution Aaron undid the knot of his cable and slowly walked over to the deer wrapping the cable around his chest as he made his way over. The animal kicked its legs trying for a desperate attempt to stand and get away, but it was to no avail. It stops it kicking and looked Aaron in the eye, begging to live. Aaron sighed grabbing its antler and put hit knee on its front legs. "We both know I'm not going to let you go, but I can appreciate begging someone who has power over you to do something for you, I've been there." Aaron said gripping his knife. "But the difference between you and me is that why you beg to live I begged to die." He said poking the beast side with the knife. "Being afraid of living gives you so much more determination, more power than someone who is afraid of dying. It's easy to die, I could just take this knife and jam it into my throat." He thrusts the knife into the chest of the deer piercing its heart. "Just as I did here." He stepped on the deer's chest grabbed the spear gave it a twist and pulled. A sucking sound was heard as he pulled the spear out putting on a makeshift cap on and into the holster he had rigged on his jacket. He then grabbed the buck and with a grunt threw it over his shoulder. "But living is so much harder." He said walking back towards the direction of the camp.

He stopped and looked back to the tree where he had tied the cable. "Wouldn't you agree?" he asked and suddenly a twig in the tree snapped and a figure bolted away in the canopy.

"Overconfidence breeds arrogance. Arrogance breeds stupidity. Stupidity makes you weak. And the weak die." Aaron said to himself as he trudged into the forest. "That was nature of the world before civilization and it is the nature of the world after. But question is, how much have the rules changed and how many do you have to break, to bring back civilization." He said stepping over a rock "How much must we first regress before we make progress?"

He stopped resting a little and saw a column of smoke rising in the air. "First someone has to lead, but the question is who?" He stepped into camp and heard chanting.

"Whatever the hell we want! Whatever the hell we want! Whatever the hell we want!" chanted the kids in camp as they formed a circle with Wells and Bellamy in the center. The older man had enticed them into the chant. And as if they had performed some ritual the sky cracked and it started to rain.

"We need to collect this?" Wells said turning to Bellamy.

"Whatever the hell you want." Bellamy said making Wells walk away in defeat. Bellamy then turned around enjoying the rain and stop as he saw Aaron on the edge of the crowd.

Seeing this, everyone followed his gaze and spotted the teen with the deer around his shoulders.

"Wow he did it." Someone said as he walked forward. He stopped in front of Bellamy making the man reach for his belt but he stopped when Aaron dropped the animal at his feet.

"You must lead." Aaron spoke low enough that only the man in front of him heard.

At this Bellamy smirked and looked around at the crowd and shouted "Who's hungry!"

"Yeah!" cheered everyone.

"Let's here it for Hawke!" Bellamy yelled grabbing Aaron's hand and hoisting it in the air.

"HAWKE! HAWKE! HAWKE! HAWKE!" chanted the kids over and over.

Bellamy turned to Aaron and looked him straight in the eye. "What do you want?"

"Tell me what you did to get on the dropship." Aaron said bluntly staring him right in the eye.

…

* * *

So, Aaron is aware that they are not alone on the ground. And he has shown his support for Bellamy's leadership.

You know its kind of funny, I recently got the audio book for the first book of the 100 series. Aaron is kind of like Book Bellamy and Show Bellamy is more like a guy from the book named Graham.

I originally got the book for character research…shit I got punched in the face for that idea. Oh well I just got to roll with the punches and keep on writing.

Anyways what do you guys think of Aaron's weapon? And what do you think its proper name should be?

Until next time.

Please fav and review.

Nicogen


	3. Chapter 3

Hello people sorry I haven't updated in a while. Man don't I have an excuse. You know what's a very good sign you need to move but you're not staring in a horror movie. Your home starts leaking water….from the breaker box. Oh yeah, we immediately went to our landlords and got another trailer. Its WAAAAAAY nicer. My room is smaller now but it has two living rooms and besides all I do is sleep in there anyways. And all its cost was 100 dollars more. Not bad for an increase in quantity and quality. Took forever to get the gas on, lazy fucking gas company. I can't do cold showers! Oh, the grime! The horror! But now we're all settled got. Well mostly settled I still haven't unpacked my clothes.

Anyways enough about me you're not here for me you're here Aaron. And I can glad you guys like him. I'm trying to make him a character who is mostly cold and indifferent but does care for people, just has trouble showing it. The only real exception would be Clarke as she shares personality traits with her mother and Aaron has some familiarity with them and allows him to connect more easily.

* * *

Chapter 3 Like Dogs and Wolves

The next day Wells was piling up dirt on top of two mounds, graves to be exact. He sighed thrusting the makeshift shovel into the ground. He turned and picked up the clothes he had stripped from the two dead kids. He walked through the camp that had come alive with activity. He could hear music coming a few yards away made by some boys hitting some makeshift drums. He passed a couple that was making out in the bushes. It looked away as it wasn't his business, unless the girl suddenly became nine months pregnant they could do as they pleased. And even then, that would be for Clarke to deal with.

He had to twist his body when he made it to the core of the camp as a group of boys wrestled another boy to the ground and took something and then ran pass them. It looked like they were playing capture the flag.

He paused as he passed a tent that been set up to the right of the drop-ship. He looked inside seeing the various organs from the deer strung up on fallen tree branches that had been stood up and partially buried in the ground. He remembered over hearing Aaron saying that the intestines could be made into string and the stomach and bladder could be made to carry water. Any meat that wasn't eaten was wrapped up in scrap pieces of parachute and buried, the spot marked by a circle of rocks on top was a piece metal with a large 'M' scratch on top. It was only a temporary solution until they built a smoke house to dry the meat and make jerky. There was a similar cache to the side but was labeled with a 'C' for crafting with pieces of the animal which couldn't be used till later. The rest of the non-usable organs had been discarded by Wells himself at a sight he thought might be useful for farming.

To the left side of the tent the deer's skin had been strung up between two pole and stretched. Few days from now after it was dried, Aaron would open up the C cache, take out the deer's head and use its brain to tan the hide. It sounded gross making some gag but apparently it was the quickest way to get it done, and they would need all they could get for the coming winter. Apparently, there was a way to make sturdy armor available to them but that took months and what was the point of protection if they froze to death.

He continued on his way and saw Aaron sitting on a stump, and he actually had his jacket and mask off for once. Wells wasn't one you call on to judge a modeling contest but he felt confident to say Aaron face was more on the average side, maybe a 6 out of 10 if the guy smiled more. But he had a strong jaw line so maybe a 7.

He looked down at the boy arms which rippled with power as they set to work on his current task, which was grinding down the spot where he had saw the antlers apart this morning by moving it across a large rock. He had reduced the four points to two. One small the other large making two large dagger shaped shivs. The other tips had been taken by the others member of the 100 and been tied to the tips of spears. Wells frown at that, for it showed that while Aaron had a mostly cold and indifferent attitude, he still cares for the members of the 100. Aaron was probably the most dangerous of them but he was one of the most caring, the only one who could claim that title was Clarke.

Who else would risk themselves to try to help a person who was crazed. Not many.

Wells was broken from his thoughts as he heard some girls giggle. He looked to his left and Wells saw a group of three girls pass. They looked in the direction of the scraping and he saw them do double takes.

"God damn." Said the girl on the right.

"What I would give to take a crack at that." Said the girl in the middle.

"Please, he'd break you." Said the girl on the left.

"Oh, but the ride would be worth it." Said righty.

The middle girl sighed "Too bad he's taken."

"Yeah Clarke has all but claimed him." Grumbled lefty making Wells twitch.

"I know right?! Did you see the way she was looking at him before she left." Right said as the girls continued on their way.

"To be fair I don't think she even knows." Said lefty as they went around the corner.

"Damnit!" Wells cursed, he was wondering why he was judging Aaron's looks, the girls' conversation just made his subconscious thoughts finally surface in his conscious mind. "I just thought I had to deal with Finn!" he shouted snapping Aaron out of his work.

The teen looked around getting a grasp of his surroundings when he spotted Wells. He looked back at his daggers giving them a once over and put the new weapons on his waist where he had taken a belt from the drop-ship and the smaller spikes caught the belt making them hang there, and then turned his head to Wells.

"Jaha" Aaron greeted clipping his mask on his belt and grabbing his jacket and putting it on, he had adorned the jacket with the discarded metal from the drop-ship tied down with wire and string. The jacket before had made him uneasy before, now it just sent chills down his spine. Aaron shook his body a little to see if any of the metal made any noise. One on his upper right arm clicked and he pulled some string tightening it more, he shook again and nodded as he heard no noise. "You done with that shovel?" he asked hoping to use it and dig the holes for the post for the planned smoke house.

"Yeah, it's by the two kids I buried." Wells told him gesturing to the clothes in his arms.

"That's probably the best place for it, that way everyone knows where it is." Aaron said heading that direction. "And to state that it's kept there, but never used there."

"We can only hope" Wells said. The boy made him feel uncomfortable at times but it was words like that made him not hate the guy. He sighed why did life have to be so complicated. His main competition were actually decent guys. He hadn't interacted with Finn much, but he did jump in and help him. He shook his head and refocused of his original task heading to where a vast majority of the kids gathered.

"Hey, where'd you get the clothes?" asked a boy at the mouth of the drop-ship.

Wells turned to him and saw it was Atom, one of Bellamy's inner circle.

Trying to remain professional Wells answered him. "Buried the two kids who died during the landing."

Atom nodded "Smart. You know, I'll take it from here." He said reaching for the clothes "There's always a market for-"

Wells grew angry and pulled back. "We share based on need, just like back home."

"You still don't get it, do you, Chancellor?" Bellamy said walking out of the drop-ship shirtless, an attractive girl following behind him. He turned to her and gave her a kiss as she went about her own business. The older man watches her leave with a smile and turned to Wells "This is home now. Your father's rules no longer apply." He walking forward and snagging a shirt angering Wells who tried to take the shirt back but was held back by Atom. Bellamy chuckled "Oh, no, no Atom. Atom, hold up." He held up the shirt in challenge "You want it back? Take it."

Wells just sneered at him and threw the clothes on the ground and a nearby group of teens scrambled for the clothes. "Is this what you want? Chaos?"

"What's wrong with a little chaos?" Bellamy asked putting on the shirt. It was all part of the plan he and Aaron had come up with after the nice long talk they had last night. These kids had lived with so many strict rules, that now they have chance to be free that they will lash out on anyone who try to reestablish the rules. They need to see disorder before they accepted order.

"AHHH!" screamed a girl in pain.

Everyone turned in that direction and started rushing over. It was at the sight of last night's bon fire that everyone found a girl having her face forced close to the fire, and Murphy was the one forcing her down.

"Bellamy" he called as if he was doing something he should be proud of. "Check it out. We want the Ark to think that the ground is killing us, right?" pushing the girl a little more. "Figure it would look better if we suffered a little bit first"

"I believe I told you we're not doing that anymore." Bellamy said crossing his arms.

"I thought that was a lie you told the psycho to get him line," Murphy said blinking "Wasn't the plan to make them think were dead."

Wells turned to Bellamy confused. He knew the scarred teen had talked to him, he had actually heard Bellamy curse up a storm, but not at Aaron, he was cursing at himself.

"The plan has changed," Aaron said walking forward, spear in hand.

Murphy seared "What if I don't like this change." He growled pushing the girl down making her yelp.

Wells having seen enough rushes forward and pushes Murphy off the girl. "let her go!" he turned to Bellamy who had Aaron speaking in his ear. "You can stop this."

"Looks like Murphy wants to retaliate," Aaron whispers in Bellamy's ear. "We need to be able to settle our difference, and talking isn't going to cut it down here. They have to fight." He said as Wells sighed in relief thinking they were talking about how to handle Murphy. "Use this as an opportunity to establish that all matters like this are to be dealt with out in the open. With you overseeing the disputes. That way we don't have people being killed in their sleep. Besides I think Wells can take him, and Murphy needs to be put him in his place."

Bellamy nodded as Aaron went to the other side of the clearing and looked between Wells and Murphy. Bellamy shook his head "No, from the first minute we got here you two been at each other's throats" he said. "you two need to get this sorted."

"Are you serious?" Wells said.

"This is happening whether you like it or not Chancellor." Bellamy stated before throwing up his arm "Begin!"

Not having to be told twice Murphy threw a fist socking Wells right in the face.

Seeing that no matter what he said he would have to fight, Wells defended himself throwing his own fist hitting Murphy right in the nose drawing blood.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" chanted the kids in the camp as Wells and Murphy went at it throwing fist, knees and elbows. Bellamy's eyebrow rose as Wells was actually holding his own and after a tussle on the ground he won the fight giving Murphy a good hit to the jaw.

"Told you." Aaron said getting a scoff from the older man.

Wells panted as he stood up "Can't you see you can't control this."

"In fights the Overseer isn't suppose to control the fight, Jaha," Aaron said making Wells glare at him "He's supposed to make sure the fight is fair and declare the winner at the end." He stated crossing his arms, this was one of the rules Kane had drilled into him when they were going over the Exodus charter.

Murphy growled getting his knife out of his pocket and stood up. "You're dead!"

Seeing the knife Bellamy shouted "Wait!" and got between the two boys. He held up a knife in front of Wells "Fair fight." He then threw the knife at his feet.

The crowd around the clearing talked amongst each other, some with worry that the fight was escalating. But the vast majority gave their words of approval. If there was going to be knifes involved, the fight had better be fair.

Egged on by the crowd Wells picked up the knife. The two boys proceeded to circle each other, Murphy feigning attacks trying to gauge Wells' response times. Then Wells swung his knife but Murphy ducked underneath his attack and cut Wells on his upper arm making the boy cry out in pain.

"This is for my Father!" Murphy roared lunging at Wells. And then with surprising agility Wells caught Murphy's arm, spun the surprise boy around and put his knife against his throat.

At this the whole crowd gasped in surprise. Nobody was expecting Wells to win the fight. Even Aaron quirked an eyebrow, he thought he was going to have to step in. Guess being privilege has its perks

"Drop it!" Snarled Wells.

"Wells!" called Clarke's voice behind Aaron, and not two seconds later she was storming pass him. "Let him go!" she barked.

Following her command Wells pushed Murphy away.

Shooting to his feet Murphy snarled and rushed to attack.

"Murphy!" shouted Bellamy from across the field.

Murphy ignored him and lunged.

Wells dodge without thinking. Completely forgetting that Clarke was behind him.

The knife was coming so fast that all the girl got to do was widen her eyes in horror.

And all she saw was red.

…..

"Whoa! Big spike across the board!" Jackson shouted as all screens still on flashed red.

"Is it Wells?!" Thelonious asked worried. His son's screen had been spiking earlier.

"No according to the readings he's fine just a good dose of adrenaline." Abby said bring up the boy's feed. She brought up Clarke's screen. "No," she said in horror "Jackson! Double check her vitals'!" she barked.

"On its ma'am" Jackson replied going over Clarke's data. "Confirmed glucose levels are surging, but I can safely say she's fine ma'am, just shook up about something." He said making Abby sigh in relief and look at Thelonious with thanks as he gripped her shoulder.

Abby then narrowed her eyes in thought. "Check for low levels of glucose but a spike in adrenaline."

Jackson filtered the data "Oooooh!" he said in realization.

"Yep." Grunted Abby.

"Care to elaborate." Jaha asked.

"Aaron." Abby and Jackson said at the same time.

"Ah." The Chancellor said in understanding,

…

Clarke felt her knees go weak and she fell back on her butt. She blinked seeing the world in a hazy red, she looked up seeing the gathered crowed either gaping like fishes, stare blankly, or blinking. But there was a common trait they all share they had all turned pale.

But none were as pale as Murphy as he looked at his knife that was lodged in a hand and had erupted out the back. Five inches from where Clarke's head had stood. He looked from his knife and found himself lost in the emerald storm that was Aaron's cold stare.

Murphy could only gape, "I'm sorr-

 **CRACK!**

"OOOOOO!" collectively groaned the teens as Aaron slammed his head against Murphy's nose sending him to the ground out cold, blood seeping from his nose.

"Holy shit! Did you hear that?" asked one kid.

"I think the Ark heard that." Said another.

"Someone get him out of here!" Bellamy roared snapping people to attention.

"Yeah on it" Atom said as he and another boy name Mbege grabbed Murphy by his arm and legs and dragged him off.

"Clarke!" Shouted Wells shaking Finn out of his stare as they both rushed to the blonde girl whose face had been painted red. "Hey are you okay?" asked Finn.

Clarke ignore him and stare up at Aaron "Why?" she asked.

"I made your mother a promise. I intend to keep it." Aaron said attempting to take his jacket off with one hand.

"You need a hand?" Bellamy asked seeing him struggle.

"I'll be fine, tend to your sister." He grunted nodding to limping girl.

Seeing his sister's injured state Bellamy rushed over. "Octavia, are you, all right?" he asked in concern taking her from Monty's arms and helping her stand. "Where's the food?"

Sighing Finn sat on a long "We didn't make it to Mount Weather."

Bellamy growled in frustration it's a good thing Aaron was able to bag that deer then otherwise there would be a lot of aching bellies. "What the hell happen out there?"

"We were attacked" Clarke said shaken, being handed some water and some cloth to wash herself.

Wells turn to her in worry "Attacked? By what?" he asked.

"Not what. Who." Finn said making Aaron's head snap up. "It turns out, when the last man from the ground died on the Ark, he wasn't the last Grounder."

"It's true" Clarke said cleaning the last of the blood from her face "Everything we thought we knew about the ground is wrong. There are people here, survivors."

"If there are animals the probability of sentient life was highly likely." Aaron said getting his good right hand out the jacket.

Clarke nodded at that logic, as soon as they saw that deer they should've have kept in mind the possibility of humans surviving "That means we can survive. Radiation won't kill us."

"Yeah, the bad news is the Grounders will." Finn said pessimistically making Aaron frown in thought. Then why wasn't he attacked? He was alone, isolated miles away from any group. Why attack a group but leave the loner alone?

"Where's the kid with the goggles?" Wells asked noticing the group had one less member.

"Jasper was hit. They took him." Clarke said looking down sadly. Her look then turned into a frown. "What happen to those wristbands?" She asked seeing the pile of metal in the fire.

"Ask him." Wells said gesturing to Bellamy who frowned.

"How many?" She asked firmly.

"Last I saw about fifteen." Aaron said.

"You idiots." Clarke said in disbelief. She looked around to the crowd "Life support on the Ark is failing. That's why they brought us down here." She said and the kids in the crowd gasped in horror. "They need to know the ground is survivable again, and we need their help against whoever is out there. If you take off your wristbands you're not just killing them. You're killing us!" she shouted.

"Which is why as soon as I learned, I told them to stop, obviously Murphy didn't listen." Bellamy said making Clarke whirl around and look at him in surprise. "I made a mistake, I thought being down here was our opportunity at freedom! To stick it to the privilege!" He shouted getting cheers from the crowd. He held up his hand for silence "But what's the point in all that, if it's my people, no OUR people who suffer. Who die." He said getting mummers among the crowd. "They say they'll forgive your crimes. I say you're not criminals. But if we allow them to die out of shear spite, then they were right, we are criminal, no we're monsters." He said making many how were thinking of taking off their wristbands hang their heads. "So, lets show them that they were wrong about us, but also that we don't need them, they need us. Because we are fighters, survivors. They locked you because they were afraid of us and that's why the Grounders should worry about us!"

"Yeah!" cheered the kid as their fear dissipated.

Bellamy grinned relishing in cheers he was given, he not only saved face for his earlier mistake he had cemented himself as their leader. He looked over at Aaron who nodded his head in approval before walking away to rip out the knife out of sight. Moral was up no need to bring it back down.

"I can't believe you convince him to change his mind." Clarke said turning to Wells.

"Truth like that can change anyone's opinion." Monty said.

"You did a good job Wells" Clarke said, she was still mad at him for her father's death she would be for years but she couldn't be mad at him for doing what was right.

Wells narrowed his eyes in thought "But I didn't do anything." He said.

"You told Bellamy the truth about the Ark." Finn said to him "It may not feel like much but that was more than enough."

"No, you don't understand," Well said firmly " _ **I**_ didn't tell Bellamy anything."

"What?" Clarke said with widen eyes "Then how?"

"Maybe he learned about the flaw when he heard about the trip to earth." Finn suggested.

"He said he learned about the failing life-support down here." Clarke clarified.

"But Clarke, the only people who knew about it were you and Wells. Did you speak about it to anybody beside those who went with us?" Monty asked.

"No one, Wells?" Clarke asked the boy.

"No." Wells answered with a shake of his head. " _ **We**_ didn't even talk about it."

Clarke's eyebrows furrowed in concentration, were any of the kids' parents engineers? No, her dad being the head of engineering she was somewhat aware of which ones were privy to the information about the air system. None of the kid's names matched those names of the engineers. In fact, none of kids even knew they were going to Earth.

" _Clarke, you are not being executed. You're being sent to the ground, all 100 of you."_ Those were her mother's words. She had been so surprised by them that she didn't registered everything going on, but now that she was going thru her memory something stood out. She remembered looking back at Aaron and seeing his face. There was no sign of surprise or shock on his face. None.

"He knew," Clarke said her eyes snapping to where Aaron had been, the drops of blood dotting the ground.

"What?" Wells asked but didn't get answer as Clarke stomped off heading the direction Aaron was last seen.

"Where are you going?" Wells asked.

"Getting answers, in the meantime get supplies." Clarke said getting okays from behind her. She made her way to the drop-ship and spotted Aaron sitting on a log by a fire pit and was poking the fire with a piece of metal. To his left she saw strips of cloth had been cut from a spare shirt. She then saw him grab the knife by the handle.

"Wait don't!" She shouted.

Aaron didn't even look up at her, "It has to come out." And he pulled hard ripping the blade out of his flesh. He held his hand up in the and examined it. "Went straight thru and true." The blade had pierced his flesh in such a way that he would only lose a small amount of functionality for a while. "Well you just going to still there and let me bleed to death?" He said to the girl.

Clarke snapped out of her shock and rushed over. She sat beside him and took his hand into hers. "We'll need to stop the bleeding."

"Cauterization should work." Aaron said nodding to the metal in the fire.

Clarke gulped and grab the steel from the fire, the tip glowing a vibrant orange. "This will hurt."

"Then do not relent, really press it down." Aaron said firmly.

Clarke nodded and forced the blazing metal on the wound of his palm releasing a loud sizzling sound into the air making her wince. The girl felt herself gag as the smell of burnt flesh hit her nose but she kept pressing, this wound needed treated no matter the pain it causes. But something was odd, Aaron should be yelling or at least hissing in pain. She looked up and found emerald orbs staring back at her. "Do you not feel that?" she asked.

Aaron chuckled taking the metal and putting it back into the fire.

"Now what's so funny?" She asked giving him a glare making him chuckle again.

"Your mother asks the same thing, same glare too." Aaron smirked.

"I will smack you." Clarke said intensify the glare.

"Ha I don't doubt it!" the scarred boy snorted "Abby has smacked me so many times I think I'll develop a bald spot later in life." He smiled getting a chuckle from the girl. "But to answer your question, yeah I don't feel it. Think of it like this, I feel the initial cause but once I'm aware of the injury what's the point of reminding me off it, distracting me and getting hurt somewhere else."

"I assume it because of the At- of that right." Clarke said stopping herself from saying 'The Attempt.' You had to be careful bringing up a suicide survivor's brush with death.

"Yeah periodic numbness it can be a blessing and a curse sometimes." Aaron said before looking back at the fire. "It's ready again."

Clarke nodded grabbing the metal and forcing the hot tip on the back side of his hand. "Hand me the cloth please and I'll wrap it."

Aaron nodded handing the strip to her. "Wait." He said dipping the same hand into the ashes of the fire and went to put it on his wound."

"What are doing?!" Clarke said moving his hand away.

"Fresh ash acts as an absorbent, it will help prevent an infection and absorb the residual blood and puss. Which means a simple cleaning in some water." Aaron told her.

"How do you know that?" Clarke asked as he put the ash on the wound and motioned for her to resume the wrapping and applying more on the other side.

"Advance Earth skills sixth year." Aaron answered.

"But Earth skills stop at fourth year." Clarke said confused.

"Yes, but Advance classes continue into fifth through eighth. Can't put it into practice if you can't make a fire. Things like fourth year tracking can be applied by guards with some adjustments." Aaron said flexing his hand once Clarke was done, testing his movement and saw he had to put a little more effort to make a fist.

"But how would get access to- oh dear god." Clarke started asking but she drew her own conclusion.

"How did you figure it out?" Aaron asked slipping on his jacket but leaving it unzipped. He then turned heading to his 'butcher's tent.'

Clarke followed after him "You have Earth skills that were meant to be taught to the Exodus generation, your bracer is a cruder but sturdier version of our wristbands." She paused as he leans down in the dirt and remove a metal slab with a 'M' and started digging. "But it was your reaction to my mother's word that we were being set to the ground."

"You mean the lack there of." Aaron said removing four pieces deer meat, putting the rest back and headed back to the fire. "Hungry?" he asked grabbing some sticks and skewering the meat.

"I-" the girl started but she caught a whiff of the meat, her stomach growl and she found herself drooling.

"Can't rescue someone on an empty stomach." Aaron said stabbing the stick ends of the skewers into the ground so the meat could cook while it hung over the fire.

Clarke turn her head to him "How?"

"You're smart Clarke but you're not good at hiding your intentions, probably what got you arrested in the first place." Aaron stated.

"Wells turned me in." Clarke growled.

"And you forced his hand." Aaron said narrowing his eyes, "But, were not here to discuss right from wrong, you have questions on a different matter."

"How long have you known about the Ark's dying?" Clarke asked.

"Straight to the point huh." Aaron laughed "Good, I like that. I've known about the Ark's fate for I say about a month, right around the time when they did the final adjustments for this." He Said holding up his bracer. "That's when your mother told me about the change of plans that 100 of us were being sent to the ground."

"What was the original plan?" Clarke dreading the answer even though she felt like she knew the answer.

"I would be down here alone." The scarred boy answered bringing a look of shock and sadness to the girl's eyes.

"Alone?" She gulped dryly.

"That was the initial plan five years ago but it changed a little over a year ago." Aaron said.

"Did my father's discovery change it?" Clarke asked filing away the fact that he was preparing to be sent to the ground for five years.

"No, like I said I've only known that for a month," Aaron said waving that off and turning the meat around so it cooked all around. "It was the discovery of Octavia."

"Octavia?" Clarke asked confused "How did she change anything?"

"She was an undocumented that the Council didn't know what to do with. But she was almost of age." Aaron said getting an 'oh' from Clarke. Being an undocumented second born Octavia's chances at her review were pretty much slim to none. It would make sense for the Council to at least give her some sort of chance, no matter how slim it seemed.

"So, does Octavia know?" Clarke asked.

"No, they never told her, something about her being too combative." Aaron said getting a snort from Clarke. "I feel I might have dodged a bullet." He grimaced making Clarke chuckle.

"Did you tell Bellamy any of this. About Octavia?" She asked.

"Hell no, I wanted him on our side, telling him that would have made him shoot me." Aaron said shaking his head.

"He has a gun?" Clarke asked surprised.

"Yep, almost shot me last night too." Aaron said. "But I convinced him to trust me."

"I saw, it's like you're his second in command." Clarke stated.

"To clarify I think that might be Atom, especially after what Murphy pulled. Me, I'm just the guy who gets shit done. Beside I'm not suited for Command, no one here really trust me yet and you can't rule through fear." Aaron said getting a smile and a nod from Clarke.

"So how did you convince Bellamy?" She asked.

"Told him the truth, that if he continued with his selfish plans that hundreds of people would be executed, and that it would be all his fault. That even if he ran, Octavia might be killed by an angry mob when the rest of the Ark come down." Aaron said taking the skewers away from the fire and letting them cool. "It was harsh but it got the point across. Plus, I gave him information so he could blackmail the Council to pardon him." A great bargaining chip can change the paradigm and if Bellamy play his cards right he could jump start a political career.

"For what?" Clarke asked.

"Not my place to say, you'll have to earn his trust to ask him that." Aaron said grabbing the cooled down skewers and handing three to her. "Give two of those to the two guys you were with. I'll take this one to Octavia."

"Thank you." Clarke said and with only a minute of self-control she bit into it and moaned.

Aaron chuckled seeing her reaction "After you're done go gather up your supplies and come find me." He said going to find Bellamy no doubt Octavia would be with him. He found the siblings on a path to the side of the dropship, Octavia was sitting on stump while Bellamy tended to her leg.

"Here eat." He said trusting the stick forward. "Your group is the only one who hasn't eaten."

"Thanks," She said taking a bite and her eyes lit up, but then wince in pain as Bellamy press a cloth to her leg. "OW!" she hissed.

"What the hell was it?" Bellamy asked angrily which gave Aaron a feeling he wanted to extract some sort of petty revenge on the animal

Octavia winced as he applied more pressure "I don't know. The others said it looked like a giant snake."

" _I guess I'm going fishing later."_ Aaron said to himself, as he no doubt would be ordered by Bellamy to go hunt the creature. Oh well they needed variety in their diet.

"You could've been killed." Bellamy said in a tone lace with anger and worry.

"She would have been if Jasper didn't jump in to pull her out." Clarke said as she and Wells joined them backpacks of supplies draped over their shoulders. Aaron wondered where Finn and Monty were.

"You guys leaving? I'm coming too." Octavia said going to stand but was stopped by her brother.

"No, no. No way." He said forcing her to sit "Not again."

Clarke looked to Octavia and said "He's right your leg's just gonna slow us down." She turned toward the elder sibling "I'm here for you."

"Clarke, what are you doing?" Wells asked wearily.

Clarke ignored him "I hear you have a gun."

Bellamy eyed her and lifted up his shirt revealing his gun.

"Good. Follow me." Clarke ordered.

"And why would I do that?" he asked irritated.

Clarke gave him a sly look "Because you want them to follow you, and right now, they're thinking only one of us is scared." She said trapping him in the corner. She gave a smirk and continued on her way.

Aaron arched his eyebrow _"That sly little mink! She played him!"_

Bellamy looked at Aaron for advice but all he could do was shrug. It was one hell of a play. He sighed and turned to a recently conscious Murphy. "Aaron, Murphy you're with me."

"Like hell I am," Murphy said holding his nose, his breath coming out in a wheeze. "No way am I going anywhere with this Psycho!"

"To be fair you had that headbutt coming." Atom said.

"Shut it!" Murphy growled but went still when Aaron put his hand on his shoulder.

"Would it help if I apologized?" he said holding out Murphy's knife.

"Noz!" Murphy wheezed grabbing his knife.

"Meh I don't like you anyways," Aaron said actually getting a smirk from the boy "Now hold still."

"Whys?" Murphy asked.

"I'm going to fix your nose." Aaron said reaching for Murphy.

"Wha- no keep away from me you fre-" **CREEECK CRUNCH!** "YAAAOWWAAAAA!" cried Murphy as Aaron snapped his nose back into place. "You son of a bitch!" he roared.

"Better?" Aaron asked.

"Yes!" growled the other boy taking a deep breath thru his nose.

"Good then let's go." Aaron said following after Clarke.

"Arrogant psychotic son of a bitch." Grumbled Murphy stomping after Aaron.

"Atom," Called Bellamy "My sister doesn't leave this camp. Is that clear?"

"I don't need a babysitter." Octavia huffed.

Bellamy ignored her and turned towards Atom. "Anybody touches her, they answer to me." He said getting a nod from the boy and following after the rescue party.

"Eh where do you think you're going?" Atom said grabbing Octavia by the arm as she tried following her brother. "You're staying here."

"I'm going to make your life a living hell." Octavia sneered at him.

" _Oh yeah did I ever dodge a bullet."_ Aaron grimaced.

"What's with you?" Murphy asked seeing Aaron's face.

"Just keep walking." Aaron grumbled increasing his pace so he was just behind Clarke and Wells.

"Jackass he's following her like a lost puppy and since when are we in the rescuing business?" Murphy asked.

"It's harder to earn a wolf's loyalty than it is a dog's" answered Bellamy.

"What?" Murphy asked confused

Bellamy took a breath as he thought of his next words "Do you know the differences between a dog and a wolf?" he asked.

"One's a pet the other a wild animal." Answered Murphy.

"There's more to it than that." Bellamy said. "Say you take both a dog and a wolf that were taken from their mothers immediately raise them to maturity, then drop them in the forest and after a month who do think will have thrived more?" he asked.

"The wolf obviously, the dog might be dead." Murphy said "The wolf had raw instinct on its side."

"Now what if the dog worked with the wolf?" Bellamy asked.

"Its chances would be improved" Murphy said.

"The dog would learn from the wolf." Bellamy clarified. "Now imagine there are 100 dogs and 1 wolf, what are the chances of that same dog now?"

Now getting what he was saying "You're doing this to get on Aaron's good side."

"You just give a show of strength and dogs will fall in line, but a wolf cares for more than strength" Bellamy stated and Murphy sneered he knew the older man was calling him a dog. "He listens more to Clarke than to me, by doing this one good deed he starts to see thing more my way. So, when those Council dogs come down they won't find any of the beaten pups they sent down, they'll find a pack of wolves ready to rip them apart." He said making Murphy smirk.

…..

* * *

Hmm not where I want to leave off but I can't seem to find the right way to transition to the next part right now. But I'm trying to post on a somewhat regular bias. This chapter is sitting at roughly 6000 words without the intro and outro so its sitting at a healthy size. And I really hate to have kept you guys waiting. Plus, it will help if I start from scratch for the next chapter, get the creative juices flowing and the like.

So, what do guys think about the major and minor impacts Aaron has made to the story?

Too much, too little or just enough? Be sure to tell me as I do take into account my readers' opinions, I won't please all but I do try to appease the majority as long as it doesn't derail my plans.

So please review or PM me, I do read the PMs and if something warrants a response I will reply when able.

Until next time please fav and review.

Nicogen


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